Fancy yet Frugal Recipes: Pannekoeken (Dutch Pancakes)

As a new feature of the blog, from time to time I will add recipes that I've come across that are easy on the budget and taste fantastic. Today's recipe is for easy-to-make Pannekoeken (Dutch Pancakes). This might be one of my favourite breakfast recipes of all time. My recipe creates a thin, light pancake the size of a plate which you can top with your favourite fruits and syrups.

You will need:

1/2 cup of all-purpose white flour

1/2 cup of milk

2 eggs

2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

Margarine

A circular pyrex baking dish

Strawberries (sliced)

Cinnamon

Pancake syrup

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees Celsius
• In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, eggs, milk and oil. Blend using an electric mixer until no lumps are present
• Grease pyrex baking dish with margarine
• Pour mixture into pyrex baking dish
• Bake for 15 minutes
• Top with cinnamon, strawberries and syrup

Enjoy with a fresh cup of coffee and have a great start to your day!

New Brandsaver Coupons (July 28, 2012)

Brandsaver Coupons have returned! You can order coupons online (one of each type of coupon per household) at Brandsaver.ca. You can also find coupon booklets in your local newspaper this weekend. The coupon booklets tend to be identical to what is posted on their website.

To find out which local paper will have the Brandsaver booklet, see Mrs. January's blog for a great article.

July 28 Brandsaver Coupons:

Save 0.50 when you buy any Always Ultra Thin or Maxi Always Pantiliners or Tampax Cardboard Applicator tampon

Save 1.00 when you buy any AlwaysInfinity, Radiant Infinity, Tampax Pearl, or Radiant Tampons

Save 0.50 when you buy any Aussie product

Save 0.50 when you buy any ONE Bounty paper towels or napkins (excluding single roll)

Save 1.50 when you buy any Cascade ActionPacs

Save 1.00 when you buy any Cascade Rinse Aid 

Save 0.50 when you buy any ONE Charmin toilet paper (6 double rolls or more) 

Save 3.00 when you buy any TWO COVERGIRL products

Save 0.75 when you purchase Crest 3D White Multi-Care Whitening rinse 

Save 8.00 when you buy any Crest 3D White Whitestrips - Professional Effects or 2 Hours Express

Save 0.75 when you buy any Crest 3D White paste

Save 0.75 when you buy any Crest Pro-Health paste

Save 1.00 when you buy any TWO Dawn products

Save 2.00 when you buy any ONE Downy UNSTOPABLES

Save 1.00 when you buy any ONE Downy product (48-load or higher)

Save 1.00 when you buy any Duracell Coppertop or Ultra Power batteries (8 count or higher)

Save 2.00 when you buy any Duracell NiMH Rechargeable or Hearing Aid batteries

Save 4.00 when you buy any Duracell NiMH charger

Save 1.25 when you buy any TWO different brands: Bounty, Charmin or Puffs

Save 2.00 when you buy any TWO Gain products

Save 0.50 when you buy any ONE Gain product

Save 5.00 on a ProGlide razor when you buy any Gillette ProGlide cartridge

Save 2.00 when you buy any Gillette ProGlide Styler

Save 1.00 when you buy any Gillette 3-bladed razor

Save 2.00 on a Gillette Series shave prep when you buy any Gillette Mach 3 cartridge

Save 1.00 when you buy any Gillette anti-perspirant/deodorant or bodywash

Save 1.00 when you buy any Gillette Fusion shave gel or ProSeries skin care product

Buy THREE of any Cascade, Dawn, Mr.Clean, Febreze or Swiffer and get a Febreze Set & Refresh starter kit

Save 3.00 when you buy any TWO Febreze products

Buy any Febreze® Fabric Refresher (800 mL) and get ONE Febreze® CAR vent clip (1 ct)

Save 1.00 when you buy any ONE Febreze Fabric Refresher

Save 1.00 when you buy ONE Febreze Set & Refresh or Febreze CAR vent clip (1 ct)

Save 1.50 when you buy ANY Head & Shoulders product

Save 0.50 when you buy any Herbal Essences product 

Save 3.00 when you buy any size Iams dry dog food (3.5 lbs or larger)

Save 0.50 when you buy any Iams wet dog or cat food

Save 3.00 when you buy any size Iams dry cat food (1.5 lbs or larger)

Save 2.50 when you buy any TWO 709 mL Ivory Body Wash or Ivory 10 Bar pack

Save 1.50 when you buy any TWO 354 mL Ivory Body Wash or Ivory 6 Bar pack

Save 1.50 when you buy any TWO Mr.Clean Liquid, Spray or Magic Eraser

Save 0.50 when you buy any Mr.Clean Liquid, Spray or Magic Eraser (excluding 1ct)

Save 2.00 when you buy any TWO Mr.Clean or Swiffer products

Save 1.50 when you buy any Natural Instincts hair colour product 

Save 4.50 when you buy any TWO Natural Instincts hair colour products 

Save 2.50 when you buy any Nice 'n Easy Foam hair colour product 

Save 6.00 when you buy any TWO Nice 'n Easy Foam hair colour products

Save 2.00 when you buy any Olay Base facial cleanser, Classic, Complete or Age Defying lotions

(Excludes all bar soaps and body wash)

Save 4.00 when you buy Olay® Total Effects, Olay Regenerist, Pro-X or facial hair removal product

Save 3.00 when you buy any TWO Olay body wash or body lotion products

Save 3.00 when you purchase any Oral-B battery brush

Save 1.00 when you buy any Oral-B Pro-Health CrossAction or Pro-Health Clinical brush

Save 4.00 on Pampers Cruisers when you buy any ONE Pampers Swaddlers, Swaddlers Sensitive or Baby-Dry

Save 2.50 when you buy any Pampers diapers or pants AND wipes

Save 2.00 when you buy any ONE Pampers diapers or pants

Save 1.50 when you buy ANY Pantene shampoo, conditioner or 2 in 1 product 

Save 0.50 when you buy any ONE Puffs facial tissue (50 sheets or more)

Save 1.00 when you buy any ONE Secret Clinical antiperperant/deodorant

Save 5.00 on a Swiffer WetJet Solution, WetJetpad, Sweeper Wet OR Sweeper Dry refill when you buy a Swiffer SweeperVac 

Save 5.00 when you buy any Swiffer WetJet starter kit 

Save 2.00 when you buy any Swiffer Sweeper statrer kit OR Swiffer Sweeper refills

Save 1.50 when you buy any Swiffer Dusters starter kit (excluding 1 ct), Swiffer Dusters refills OR Swiffer Dust & Shine

Save 1.00 when you buy any ONE Tide liquid or powder laundry detergent (excluding 6-load trial size and Tide PODS)

Save 0.50 when you buy any ONE Tide Stain Release or Tide Washing Machine Cleaner 

Save 5.00 when you buy any ONE Venus razor AND Venus cartridge together

Save 2.00 when you buy any Venus razor OR Venus disposable razor

These were the coupons online when I visited; I am sure that they are subject to change. Please consult the Brandsaver.ca website for full, up-to-date information.

Home-made blended coffee recipes

Summer is here and who doesn't want a cold blended coffee beverage on a hot afternoon? I am a huge fan of Starbucks frappucinos, but they sure are pricey. Recently, I came across some online recipes for home-made blended coffee beverages and they were great!

One blogger, Scott D. Irwin, indicated that his recipe cost $0.32 per unit to make. Now I haven't gone to the extent of measuring the cost of my own version since I didn't have to purchase all of the supplies, but I imagine it would be pretty similar given how comparable my recipe is. Much thanks to Scott and Alice Currah for their recipes which inspired mine. You might check out their blogs to sample their recipes.

Here's my version:

Make-your-own Mocha Blended Coffee Recipe:

*You will need a blender or food processor that is capable of crushing ice* 

In the blender, place:

• 1 and 1/4 cups of milk (I prefer skim milk, but to your own taste)
• 2 tablespoons of organic sugar
• 2 tablespoons of chocolate syrup
• 3/4 cups of brewed coffee (I use Starbucks Medium Blend)
• 2 cups of ice cubes
• A pinch of xanthan gum (sprinkle throughout the mixture)

Blend on "pulse" or "low" speed for 20-40 seconds. Froth will develop, however, it will subside within a few minutes.

Pour into two smaller glasses (to share) or one larger glass (because why not!?!).

See above picture for a sample. Again, the froth disappears after a few minutes.

Enjoy!

Take the Diapers Savings Challenge

Several of my friends recently welcomed babies into their homes. Alongside the joys of parenthood, I also heard about the costs of baby supplies. Naturally, I welcomed the challenge of attempting to find these products at the lowest prices possible.

Which brings me to the topic of diapers. For those families that choose disposable diapers over cloth ones, the total costs might be surprising:

• The average baby uses 10 diapers per day (more or less depending on the age of the child)
• Depending on pricing, individual diapers tend to cost within a range of 0.30 to 0.60 cents
• As your baby grows, so does the cost per unit (fewer diapers per package)
• As a result, parents can easily spend $1500+ per year on diapers alone!

Cloth diapering is a sure way to cut down the costs, however, it’s not for everyone. If you’re purchasing disposable diapers, here are some helpful tips:

Step #1: Find Coupons

Great coupons can be ordered online, printed from special websites as well as found in local newspapers. For example, at the time of publication, you can order a coupon for “$4.00 off Pampers Cruisers diapers when you buy any ONE Pampers Swaddlers, Swaddlers Sensitive or Baby-Dry diapers” from brandsaver.ca.

Where to find coupons for diapers:

Huggies Coupons(CANADA)

Pampers Coupons (CANADA) 

Canadian Newspaper Flyers: Brandsaver, Smartsource

USA:

Hip2Save

Coupons.com

Smartsource.com

Walmart Coupons

Target Coupons

A&P Digital Coupons

Fred Meyer

“Discover the Value of a Great Buy” Booklets

Wegman’s Coupon Booklets

CVS Coupons 

Savingstar.com

Meijer mPerks

Target Baby Mailer

Step #2: Find a good sale!

Check your local retailers for good sales. Use your coupons to sweeten the deal! Just be sure that the store will accept your coupon in accordance with their coupon policy.

Retailer with the best deal won’t accept your coupon?

Step #3: Price Match!

Price Matching is when a retailer has a policy of honouring prices advertised (usually in print) at competitors. Often companies who will price match also have friendly coupon policies. So you might be able to get the competitor’s price AND use your coupon for additional savings.

See Mrs. January’s blog article on Price Match Guarantees for a list of companies that offer Price Matching.

Here is an example of a price match policy at a Canadian retailer: Walmart’s Ad Match 

Take the challenge! See how much you can save over the course of a year using these tips. And then tell me!

New duty-free rules as of June 1, 2012! Headed to the USA? How to find coupons for your trip

No matter your transportation method, a trip to the States often represents an opportunity to access sales that are unavailable north of the border. And with the new duty-free rules taking effect on June 1, 2012, Canadians may be able to bring home more than they have in the past (depending on the length of your trip).

New duty-free limits:

**For a full explanation of guidelines including additional rules regarding alcohol and tobacco purchases, please visit DutyFreeCanada.com***

For trips between 24 and 48 hours= $200 (previously was $50)

For trips between 48 hours and seven days= $800 (previously was $400)

For trips longer than seven days= $800 (previously was $750)

There continues to be additional rules for alcohol and tobacco that you should read up on before making any related purchases.

A good idea to keep in mind that duty-free limits only apply to items that are for your own personal use (non-commercial). Finally, always keep your receipts as proof of purchase as customs officials might ask to see them.

Want to sweeten the deal? Check for printable coupons! Click, print, pack… and you’re on your way to savings!

Where to find printable coupons for the USA:

Red Plum

Smart Source

Target

Walmart

Coupons.com

Coupon Network

Blogs that feature specific promotions:

Personal favourite: hip2save.com. I love this comprehensive resource!!! Excellent, fun layout and up-to-date information

Other blogs worthy of note:

http://printable-coupons.blogspot.ca/

http://www.wow-coupons.com/exclusive.php

http://dealspl.us/printable_coupons

http://www.couponcabin.com/printable-coupons/

http://printablecouponsanddeals.com/

And for all of you outlet shoppers, consider signing up for e-mail listservs at your favourite outlet locations. Premium Outlets offers a "VIP Club". Members can often access a voucher for a free copy of the coupon books (which normally cost money) as well as other online coupons that can be used in-store.


Safe travels and happy shopping!

How to find rock-bottom prices on Tide Laundry Detergent

Paying full price for Tide Laundry Detergent? Here’s something to consider:

Earlier today, I was at my local Costco. I decided to walk around while I was waiting for some photos to develop and came across a Tide display:

88 Loads of Tide Cold Water for $21.59 (originally $24.59).

I saw the price and my jaw dropped. Although there are many good deals throughout Costco, this was not one of them. Here’s why:

• After taxes (12% HST), the sale-priced Tide costs $24.18. 
• Divided by 88 loads, the cost per load of laundry is $0.274.

Versus

• Just this past week, Safeway had a sale on 52 loads of Tide Coldwater for $11.99 (Club Card price; membership is free)
• After taxes, the product cost $13.43 or $0.258 per load. Alternatively, $22.697 for 88 loads if you prefer to compare it to the price of the Costco product.

So the scales were already in favour of the Safeway price. 

Here’s the thing: Safeway had mailed out to Air Miles subscribers a 50% off Tide Coupon to be used at any participating Safeway location. 

• After using it, the cost before taxes for 52 loads was $5.99 (or $6.71 after taxes). 
• Cost per load: $0.129 or $11.35 for 88 loads.

In either scenario, why would I pay a $55 Costco membership for the privilege of being charged more for the same product when I can go elsewhere, pay no membership fee, and get the same product for less? Specifically $12.83 less (not factoring for the cost of Costco membership)?

Please don’t get me wrong: There are some great products at Costco that represent good savings and I am happy to shop there for these items. For example, the complete set of the Hunger Games is priced at $34.99 plus taxes- this is one of the lowest prices anywhere. Or Annie’s Macaroni and Cheese (12 pack) for $12.49 (plus taxes) is a great deal over paying $2.50 or more per unit at a regular grocery store. 

All I'm saying is that I won't buy Liquid Tide there! As a Costco shopper, it is really important to identify which products represent savings and stick to those.

Didn’t get a Safeway coupon for Tide in the mail? Here’s another easy way to get a similar deal:

Step One:

Order coupons from Proctor and Gamble Brandsaver. They currently have a “Save $2.00 when you buy any Tide liquid or Tide powder product (excludes 6 load Tide liquid trial size)”

http://www.brandsaver.ca/en_ca/

Step Two:

Watch flyers for 26 load bottles on sale for $5.99 or less. 

Flyers to watch: Shoppers Drug Mart, Pharmasave, WalMart

Step Three:

Use your coupon and watch the savings follow. Here is a table that will show you your savings vis-à-vis the Costco 88 loads pricing (and please keep in mind, Costco’s regular price is three dollars higher than currently posted given the sale in progress)

26 Loads of Liquid Tide:

$6.99 (or $5.83 after $2.00 coupon and taxes)= $0.224 per load or $19.70 for 88 loads

$5.99 (or $4.71 after $2.00 coupon and taxes)= $0.181 per load or $15.92 for 88 loads

$4.99 (or $3.59 after $2.00 coupon and taxes)= $0.138 per load or $12.13 for 88 loads

Moral of the story: always check cost-per-unit of products when shopping at wholesale stores such as Costco. After all, you probably went there with the intention of saving money.

April 2012 Brandsaver Coupons

The April 2012 Brandsaver Coupons are available for order! To receive yours, visit the Brandsaver website or check your local paper over the weekend.

I was pleased to see a coupon for "$2.00 off when you buy any Tide liquid or powder product" as well as "Save $5.00 when you purchase any Venus razor AND any Venus cartridges together" (Source: brandsaver.ca)

For a full listing of current offers, please consult the Brandsaver website.

Once you have your coupons, some tips:

- Watch your local Pharmasave flyer. They often post incredible deals on products to which Brandsaver coupons can be applied. The same can be said for Shoppers Drug Mart and Walmart.

- The lowest price point for liquid Tide that I have ever come across: $4.99 plus taxes. Apply your coupon and you will have 26 loads for $2.99 plus taxes. Considering how much a 52 load bottle can cost, the savings are significant.

Happy couponing!

How to cut down your grocery bill (no coupons or flyers required)

Over the past few months, I have been challenging myself to cut down my grocery bill while maintaining healthy eating habits. For example, today I was able to plan a full week's menu that touches on all food groups for $18.07 (including taxes). With shows like "Extreme Couponing" capturing attention around the world, coupons and flyers have become a trendy topic. While it's worth paying attention to sales and offers, there are less time-consuming ways reduce your grocery budget not to mention possibly healthier. Often an "awesome deal" isn't the healthiest one.

Don't have time to read flyers? Drive to multiple grocery stores? Watch for coupons? Here are a few tips that can help you keep your grocery costs low sans coupons or flyers.

1. Always evaluate your fridge contents and pantry. What ingredients do you already have for meals that you know you enjoy?


2. Search for enjoyable and affordable recipes online. Looking to spice up your menu while keeping costs under control? Check out online recipe databases: plenty of budget recipes that taste anything but low-cost. Here are a few links to check out:

AllRecipes.com article on "cooking on a budget"
Canadian Living article on "budget friendly recipes under $3 per serving"
Jamie Oliver's budget recipes
Kraft Canada's "Healthy Living Budget Recipes"
 
3. Draft a meal plan. I use a simple grid that allows me to plan breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks for every day of the week. Why this is great:

• You can map on the meals that draw upon existing fridge contents and pantry items. This gives you an idea of how many other meals you need to add to your plan
• It is easy to see if you are touching on all food groups
• You will know exactly which ingredients you need to buy: this will prevent you from over-buying
• It can save you from spending at fast-food outlets and restaurants. Knowing that you have purchased ingredients for a meal is often good encouragement to make the choice to cook at home
• You can prepare food ahead of time so as to reduce time spent packing lunches and preparing dinners
• It will allow you to make effective use of leftovers: why throw away good food?
• By knowing what you need, it will cut down the time spent grocery shopping

4. Know which grocery items can be found at significant reductions and base your shopping trip around these items

•  If you do not have a lot of time to research flyers, identify those items on your grocery list that can be found at significant reductions
• Briefly scan flyers to see if there are any good deals on these items; if so, the balance of probabilities is that your total grocery bill will be lower if you complete your shopping at the store offering the desired sale

5. Save room in the budget for an in-the-moment treat

• I still allow myself to purchase one or two "treats" (things that were not on the original shopping list)
• This keeps extra purchases to a minimum while allowing for some fun while shopping

Using these simple strategies, I've been able to reduce my spending on groceries by more than 50%. No coupons or fliers required. Before looking to coupons, I'd definitely recommend spending some time meal planning as the cost-savings can be much greater and the choices healthier.